The first issue to address for today’s men’s all-around final is the absolute wasteland created by all the withdrawals. So here’s where we are:

• As previously established, Japan pulled 2nd qualifier Kaya Kazuma from the final in place of favorite Hashimoto Daiki, who had been 2pc-ed.
• Lorenzo Casali withdrew, his spot going to teammate Mario Macchiati, who had also been 2pc-ed.
• Artem Dolgopyat withdrew, and would have been replaced by first alternate Nestor Abad, but Abad did not take the spot, which then went to second alternate Thierno Diallo.
• Artur Davtyan withdrew, replaced by third alternate Luka van den Keybus
• Adem Asil withdrew, replaced by fourth alternate Andrei Muntean.
• Andrei Muntean subsequently withdrew, replaced by fifth alternate Khabibullo Ergashev.

Just that. So far.

“King of Chiba.” “Psyche of Daiki.” “British Star Man Jar-Man.” “Icing on the Cake for Jake.” “James Hall was on the ball, could he stand tall could he even win it all.” “Right, said Fred.” “Fred’s in good stead.” “His eyes are gleamy, he’s feeling dreamy, Milad Karimi.” “Will Asher serve up a smasher.” “Ilia, we’ll never speak ill of ya. We’re always happy to dance to your Kovtun.”

A monster, we’ve created one.

Asher Hong performed a slight breach of etiquette in the intros by not hitting his mark.

Daggett trying sooo hard to suppress his LEETLE ROZA GALIEVA training when discussing Hashimoto being subbed in. Personally, I wanted a LEEETLE KAZUMA KAYA, AN INJURY HE DID NOT HAVE moment.

Rotation 1

Richard – FX – USA – 2.5 double tuck, solid, small hop – front 2/1 to front 1/1, good stick – oh I see we’re doing fun blimp coverage of floor so we can definitely see what’s happening – double double, little shuffle back – 2/1, stuck – back 2.5 to front lay, little hop – FTDT dismount, stuck. Good opening.

14.533 vault for Onder. 14.633 for Richard, slightly more than qualification when he made the final in 2nd.

Hall – FX – GBR – double double tuck, hop back – 1/2 in 1/2 out, short, lugne forward – front 2/1 to front full, just a bit short, slide back – back 1.5 to front lay side pass gets very very weird, almost fully Karpenko trips forward – randi, hop back – 3/1, step back. 13.600

Abbadini nearly finishes his horse dismount twisting into the ground but hit on the horse.

Jarman – FX – GBR – double double layout, little hop back , possible OOB – triple double, solid, hop – double double tuck, also a little hop – 3/1 side pass, chest forward – front full to randi, little hop – front lay to front 2/1 – 3.5 dismount, another small hop. Tiny hops on every pass. 14.500, no OOB.

Checking back in with Onder’s vault – lovely stick on Kas 1.5, just an arm wave to hold it.

Lee JH – VT – KOR – also a Kas 1.5, pretty form in the air, bounce forward

Hashimoto – FX – JPN – double double tuck, bouncy landing – 3.5, good, small slide forward – front full to randi, lands chest down, hop forward – 2/1, stuck – 2.5 to front lay, slide back – 3/1 is rough and nearly a fall, way short, large lunge forward and additional step. Yikers.

Schmidt – VT – NED – Draglescu is hit, lunge back but solid. 14.300

13.466 for Hashimoto. He went 14.500 in qualification.

Chiba – FX – JPN – double front pike, hop – front 2/1 to layout, stuck – front full to randi, excellent, stuck – 2/1, stuck – drops down in the hips on press handstand – back 2.5 to front 1/2, possible OOB – 3/1, little hop forward. Fab start, lost a little at the end. 13.966

Asher Hong falls on horse, really he looked off from his opening scissor handstand elements. 12.333

Karimi – FX – KAZ – “looks so elegant and easy” cue randi that is under, short with a lunge – front full to front double pike, step – back 1.5 to double front, stuck, good – double double, stuck – 2/1, stuck – front 2/1 to 1/2 kick out, wonderful – 3/1, chest forward, step. Good. 14.366.

After 1:
1 – Richard – 14.633
2 – Onder – 14.533
3 – Jarman – 14.500
4 – Karimi – 14.366
5 – Schmidt – 14.300
6 – Sun – 14.266

Hashimoto is in 17th after the first event. Chiba on the best past so far because he improved on his qualification floor score and qualified in first.

Rotation 2

Hall opens the second rotation by coming back with a hit on horse. 13.300, though, which is way down from a good hit score for him.

Nice leg form from Liubimov on PBars, pretty double pike in the air, hop.

Jarman through horse with a solid hit. All a little low and some leg form but good. 13.433

Van Den Keybus – VT – Belgium – Shewfelt, good direction, little hop forward. Fist pump before saluting, though.

Hashimoto is lovely on horse, so we’ll just have to wait to see whether there were any pommel horse weirdies in the score, but it looked very hit. 14.366

This broadcast is super into Casimir and I’m not complaining.

Schmidt – PB – NED – short peach 1/2 – another struggle in handstand – makuts is clean – diam, nice vertical, little adjustment – stutz – moy – tippelt, clean – double front dismount is short, lunge back

Chiba also nails his pommel horse, 14.800 for first place.

Sun – VT – CHN – nooo why, very short landing on Kas 1.5. Still scores 14.166 because men’s vault but it was very almost a fall. So pretty in the air.

Karimi has a couple full straddles on horse, does get through it, but… 13.000

Macchiati with a solid Kas 1.5, not as much distance, little hop forward.

Kovtun – VT – UKR – Kas 1.5, large forward and a bit off to the side

Richard has a scissor handstand problem, steps down from handstand, hand on the horse – rushes through the dismount, late twisting. Stayed on. 13.733

NBC’s supplementary rings camera that they’re adding to the world feed is basically in the rafters, and yet it’s still better than the Attempted Art from the world feed on floor.

After 2:
1 – Chiba – 28.766
2 – Sun – 28.432
3 – Soares – 28.366
3 – Richard – 28.366
5 – Langenegger – 28.099
6 – Jarman – 27.933
7 – Hashimoto – 27.832

Hashimoto now above his FX/PH pace from qualification because he hit horse this time.

World feed checking in with Diogo Soares, who stuck a great double pike dismount on PBars to get into 3rd. It’s because he started VT/PB, but still a great showing through it.

Rotation 3

Jarman has a lot of movement and arch in handstand on rings, step back on dismount. 12.900

Van Den Keybus on PBars has some form on a peach to one, but keeps through it into healy – double front dismount, lunge forward

Hashimoto does well to stick his double double rings dismount. And gets 14.000.

We haven’t seen Hong’s vault yet, but it didn’t go awesome.

Chiba with a shorter double double tuck rings landing, hop forward. 13.733.

Diogo Soares – HB – Brazil – tak 1/1, late – tak 1/2, a lit shy – layout tkatchev, hit – tkatchev to tkatchev piked, good – hop full – DLO 1/1, stuck landing. Good. 13.8

Kovtun has 15.166 on PB to move into 2nd behind Sun.

Sun – PB – CHN – peach – double back to arms, solid – double pike to arms, great – front straddle – bhavsar, lovely – tippelt, solid – healy, little movement – double front 1/2, stuck. Yes. 14.400

Onder gets his 14 on HB.

Small step back for Richard on double double rings dismount. 13.500

Is Milad eating a Snickers? Because I want a Snickers.

Going back to see Kovtun on Pbars, holds his peach to one for like 19 hours. Does have a large lunge forward on double front.

We’re looking back on Hong’s Ri Se Gwang now, short landing, multiple lunges forward.

Liubimov on HB, great amplitude on layout tkatchev and kovacs elements – super pretty DLO 1/1, nice open shape.

After 3:
1 – Sun – 42.832
2 – Kovtun – 42.499
3 – Chiba – 42.499
4 – Soares – 42.166
5 – Richard – 41.866
6 – Hashimoto – 41.832

Rotation 4

Hashimoto – VT – JPN – Kas 2/1, magical stick. 15.000

Chiba – VT – JPN – Kas 1.5 is a struggle, short landing with a lunge back sideward, just saved it. 13.666

Sun – HB – CHN – tak 1/2, a little short – Cassina, just catches layout tkatchev to tkatchev to piked tkatchev, great – crazy form on tak 1/1 and late – DLO 2/1, a little deep, hop back. 14.233

Karimi – VT – KAZ – nearly a good Kas 1.5, but an arm wave on landing, and then a little hop, and then a little arm wave.

Soares – FX – BRA – double double tuck, stuck – back 2.5 to front lay, missed timing, very horizontal on front lay, basically sat it down, did he? – front full to front tuck full, little hop – 2/1, hop back – 3/1, step to the side.

Richard – VT – USA – Good stick on his Kas 1.5, very nice. Just some sight foot form. 14.566.

Kovtun – HB – UKR – Cassina, good – layout tkatchev to tkatchev toi piked tkatchev, good – tak 1/1 – tak 1/2, late – giant full – DLO 2/1, step back. Nice. Over 14 and keeps him ahead of Richard and Chiba.

Jarman – VT – GBR – Kas 2.5 is fantastic and stuck. Nailed. 15.433, he’ll go ahead of China for the moment with that.

Cournoyer – HB – CAN – tak 1/2 a bit late – layout tkatchev, good – tkatchev to piked tkatchev – tak 1/1, okay – yamawaki – DLO 2/1, step back. 13.800, which is into 9th.

Van Den Keybus – HB – BEL – yam – stalder rybalko and it’s not even awful – rybalko, good – DLO 1/1, a little but of pike, hop back.

After 4:
1 – Sun – 57.065
2 – Hashimoto – 56.832
3 – Kovtun – 56.698
4 – Richard – 56.432
5 – Jarman – 56.266
6 – Chiba – 56.165

Sun and Kovtun going to floor here, which is not going to score like PBars, where everyone else is going.

Checking back in on the Onder FX – front full to double front pike, good, just a little movement – 2.5 to front lay, stuck – double double, nice early finish, hop back – 2/1 – FTDT, larger bounce back – 3/1, a bit under rotated, hop forward. He’s in 8th now.

Rotation 5

Sun – FX – CHN – randi, little bounce back – front 2/1 to layout, a bit of an arch, hop, possible OOB – double double, little hop back – 2/1, stuck – 2.5 to front full, hop – 3/1, bounce back, and then a little slide. Too slidey there. 13.333

Chiba – PB – JPN – healy, good – peach 1/2, great – peach – front straddle, solid – bhavsar, smooth – tippelt – stutz, just a bit under – double front 1/2 out, got a little close, little hop. 14.666. Now ahead of Sun by 5 tenths.

Kovtun – FX – UKR – front full to double front tuck, hop – randi, stuck, some leg crossing – 3.5, lunge forward – 2/1, stuck – 2.5 to layout, holds onto it with a lean – 3/1, step back. 14.000, just a tad behind Chiba.

Onder is off pommel horse. Sigh. And now a second fall. He tries to get up again and now a third fall. And now he dismounts. This life. 9.933.

Meszaros – FX – 2.5 to double front is perfect, double double tuck, small movement – randi, little hop – front 2/1 to layout, stuck – back 1.5 to front full, a little short, step back – 3/1, hop back

Richard – PB – USA – peach 1/2 – solid on the front straddle as well – bhavsar, good – tippelt, hit – healy – diam is good, stutz a litle short – double front, hop forward. 14.600, a touch ahead of Chiba now.

Cournoyer – FX – CAN – double double tuck, good landing – front lay to double front, hop forward – FTDT, small hop – hesitation before russian circles – back 1.5 to front full, hop – 2.5, hop to the side. 13.566

Hall sticks a good double front in dismounting Pbars. 14.666

Van Den Keybus – front double pike high, hop forward, looks like he just kept in bounds – double front, bigger bounce forward – back 2.5 to front lay, good stick – back 1.5 to front tuck full, hop to the side – 3/1, some leg form, little hop.

Jarman – PB – GBR – big struggle on initial front toss, extra swing to get him up to handstand – hand placement on a diam – bhavsar, hit – tippelt, clean – double front 1/2, very short, hop forward. 12.766

Macchiati – FX – ITA – front full to double front, little step back – front double ful to front tuck full, same thing, near stick and then a step back – double arabian 1/2 out – 2/1, stuck – back 2.5 to layout, step back – 3/1, bounce back

Hashimoto – PB – JPN – healy, good – peach 1/2, some form but got it – front straddle, solid – bhavsar, good – tippelt, hit – stutz, very clean – double front 1/2, nice stick. 14.800 and into first by 6 tenths now.

After 5:
1 – Hashimoto – 71.632
2 – Richard – 71.032
3 – Chiba – 70.831
4 – Kovtun – 70.698
5 – Sun – 70.398
6 – Jarman – 69.032

Hashimoto’s high bar best thus far is a 15.000, Richard’s is a 14.533, and Chiba’s is a 14.500. Kovtun did 14.366 on horse in qualification, and Sun did 14.266 there in TF.

Rotation 6

Soares on rings, good DLO 1/1 stuck with some pike.

Tim is obsessed with Kovtun’s tattoo choices. Wait until he hears about Marketa Vondrousova.

Beautiful PH from Kovtun, just did pull around his dismount rotation.

Karimi went 14.266 on HB to finish on 82.931.

Seifert – FX – SUI – front full to double front, bounce forward – double front pike, hop – front 2/1 to tuck 1/2, solid – 2/1, lean forward to save it – 2.5 to front lay, bunny hops – 3/1, hop back

Kovtun 14.300, ends on 84.998.

Richard – HB – USA – cassina, good – kolman and falls – tribute to Sam Mikulak – layout tkatchev – tkatchev – tak 1/1 is great – DLO 2/1, stuck landing. Le sigh.

13.300 for Richard will put him .6 behind Kovtun.

Hall – HB – GBR – Cassina, hit – Kolman, good – tkatchev – stalder – big leg break on tak 1/1 but did get it to vertical – DLO 2/1, stuck. 13.466

Jarman – HB – GBR – Cassina takes it way too far and falls – resumes with layout tkatchev – tak, pauses in handstand – front stalder – tak 1/2, pretty good – DLO 2/1, step back

Karimi – HB – KAZ – looking back at this one to remember a time when someone hit a high bar routine – lovely layout position on cassina – kovacs to kolman, great – tak 1/2, great finish – tkatchev, layout tkatchev, good – DLO 2/1, deep landing and lunge.

Hashimoto – HB – tak 1/2, good – Cassina, nice – Kolman, hit – layout tkatchev to tkatchev – tak 1/1 – DLO 2/1, holds the stick with arm wave to win.

Whyyyyyyy Sun Wei falls on horse because we can’t have nice things. Lord and butter. Second fall now.

14.500 for Hashimoto for 86.132.

Chiba – HB – JPN – Kolman, hit – layout tkatchev and falls! – resumes with inbar – tak 1/1, pause in vertical – yam – tak 1/2, solid – DLO 2/1, nice stick.

12.633 for Chiba to go into 4th place.

FINAL:
Gold: Hashimoto – 86.132
Silver: Kovtun – 84.998
Bronze: Richard – 84.332

That’s Hashimoto’s 2nd-straight world title. Kovtun’s silver is Ukraine’s best finish in the men’s AA at worlds (Verniaiev has an Olympic silver), and Richard wins the US’s first AA medal since Horton in 2010.

Can’t help but laugh at Richard having such a US Men of a day in this AA (five amazing events and then splatting high bar) but it actually working out this time.